Lake Kournas is the only natural freshwater lake in Crete. It is located on the northern outskirts of the White Mountains, on the borders of the municipality of Apokoronas in the east of the prefecture of Chania, near the borders with the prefecture of Rethymno and at a distance of 2.5 km from the sea.
It is located about 4 km from the coastal village of Georgioupolis and 2.5 km from the homonymous village of Kournas.
The lake has a maximum length of 1087 meters and a width of 880 meters, with a maximum area of 579 acres, while its depth is 22.5 meters. Its surface is located at an altitude of 20 meters above sea level.
The lake of Kournas, is fed by two underground springs and the surface runoff, while the source Mati or Amati, is visible in the receding water observed in the lake during the summer months.
It is a very important station for migratory birds, therefore it has been included in the Natura 2000 network and is considered a Protected Bird Conservation Area.
Kournas ecosystem
The riparian vegetation is in good condition on the east and south banks. The volume of water in summer reaches 7.5 million cubic meters, while its waters end up in the Cretan Sea, through the river Delfina or Almyros, which extends with a length of 5 km.
In the waters of the lake there are eels, while it rarely hosts fish, atherina and river urchins for the island.
In recent years, the appearance of a foreign species of fish in the waters of the lake, the common goldfish, has been observed, which is attributed to human intervention by changing the ecological balance of the ecosystem.
Another alien species is the mosquito fish, which was introduced to control mosquitoes. Eels are the only ones that come at a young age to grow in the lake.
There are also reptiles such as tranosaurs, snakes and a rare species of two-colored turtle. Common ducks, marsh ducks, geese, turtles, oysters and cormorants are included in the lake fauna.
The vegetation consists of endemic plants of Crete and the eastern Mediterranean, while the nearby hills consist of sparse vegetation of holly and phrygana.
Kournas Cave
The lake is experiencing significant tourist development, as a destination for excursions or walks. It can be characterized as a holiday and leisure destination of nature and geological interest. For the needs of bathers and visitors, there are water bikes and restaurants and cafes around the lake.The village of Kournas has a traditional character as it was the seat of the revolutionary government during the Cretan Revolution of 1866.
Between the village of Kournas and the lake there is a very beautiful cave, the cave of Kournas, which offers a wonderful view of the lake. The cave is relatively small, with a depth of 35 meters, but impresses with stalactites and stalagmites.